U.S. and EU discuss cooperation toward long-term peace in the South Caucasus

High level diplomats from the European Union and the U.S. met in Washington D.C. on Wednesday to discuss key issues including Ukraine, Russia as well as the continued cooperation toward long-term peace, resilience, and stability in the wider region, including South

Caucasus, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The first U.S.-EU High-Level Dialogue on Russia follows the commitments taken at the June 2021 U.S.-EU Summit, where both sides resolved to coordinate U.S. and EU policies and actions related to Russia, according to the State Department and the European External Action Service.

"This inaugural session focused on U.S. and EU strategic objectives and policy coordination aimed at ending Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine", read a joint press release.

The U.S. was represented by Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, and her EU counterpart, European External Action Service Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs Enrique Mora, was also present.

Both sides condemned the Kremlin’s unprovoked, unjustifiable, and barbaric war against Ukraine, also enabled by the Belarusian government.

Nuland and Mora discussed additional steps to isolate Russia further from the U.S. and EU economies and the international financial system to impose severe costs on Russia for its actions.

They took stock of U.S. and EU efforts to counter the Kremlin’s propaganda and disinformation and to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.

"They underscored that the United States and EU stand with Russian civil society, independent journalists, and youth whose future and voices are under increasing threat within Russia and with those who have been forced to flee the country" reads the statement

The next high-level EU-US meeting to take place in late 2022.

Washington also discusses with its European allies further steps such as measures to hold Russia and Belarus accountable for their war of choice, and the need for all countries – including China – to refrain from providing material support to Russia, according to the State Department.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke on Wednesday with her French, German, Italian, and UK counterpart on this and other issues.

"They also discussed the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ukraine and the impacts of Putin’s war on global food security." The department said in a statement.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.